Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Uni­versity official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate.

Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's privacy. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing re­garding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including university police and student health); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the governing board; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance com­mittee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa­tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to offi­cials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Examples of other exceptions can be found on the Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office website.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The act further provides that LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans may release certain information about the student, designated as directory information, unless the student has informed the institution in writing that such information should not be released.

Directory information is the information in the education record of the student that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory information includes: the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, dates of attendance, enrollment status, degrees, honors and awards received, expected graduation date, planned post-completion placement (e. g. AAMC match), and the most recent educational agency or institution attended by the student. A student who desires that any or all of the above listed information not be released must submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar no later than the 10th day of the academic term.